running out of storage on 2016 MBP and need more

[jerryk]

How much is a 4TB SDXC?

Or a 12 TB one to replace my NAS.
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I wouldn't call that wasted. You're still getting plenty of use out of it by the sounds of it. But yeah some of them are remarkably capable, more than a simple slow disk on a network. I also run a torrent client and a media service (DLNA) on mine. There are a bunch of packages that I've never bothered to really look at too. I suspect in terms of capabilities mine is somewhere in the middle of the road. It's an older unit (now) but relatively advanced for its time. Every module that is active is consuming memory and CPU of course, so I keep mine pretty bare bones. I actually even deactivate the DLNA server unless I need to use it. I use the DLNA server for streaming to my Oculus, but my Android (for TV) I just read everything over SMB. Neither scenario is perfect, but both are pretty damn good.

Sounds like you are using yours for a lot more. One day maybe I will get there also. I am pretty sure the unit has the capability. I even has an option for 2 M.2 nVME drives to use as caching. And some people are sticking 16 GB of memory in them for their VMs.

 

[Jimmy James]

Buy a small USB3 SSD.

Then take a hard, critical look at "the stuff" on the internal drive.

With each item, apply the questions:
Does this really need to be here?
How often will I access it?

Then move things you don't plan on accessing to the external drive.
When you need something, plug the external in.

If it's something like a movie, I would do this:
Plug in the external
COPY the movie to the internal drive (leave the original on the external)
Watch the movie.
Then... erase it from the internal drive.
It's still "archived" on the external drive.

I'm amazed at the folks who will pay Apple $700 for a 1tb internal drive, then fill it up with stuff they never use...

While probably necessary with current ssd pricing this is difficult to accept because we moved past this with huge, cheap storage on platter drives. It feels like 2005 again. Personally, I’d rather have a big, slow, cheap platter drive than manage everything using external options.

 

[ignatius345]

Travel back in time to when MacBooks had an SD card slot, and stick a 512GB card in there :/
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While probably necessary with current ssd pricing this is difficult to accept because we moved past this with huge, cheap storage on platter drives. It feels like 2005 again. Personally, I’d rather have a big, slow, cheap platter drive than manage everything using external options.

This is the sweet spot of the Fusion Drive -- it basically gives you both. Not available on laptops, though.

1TB SSDs have gotten pretty affordable, but not when you're buying them from Apple, unfortunately.